01 Prius Woes

[Jonathan R]

I just received word that my 01 Prius (160+K miles) requires new main HV battery and an associated computer to the tune of $4800. This is one month after I coughed up $2400 for a new main engine computer and fuel pump/gas tank. The same dealer inspected this car when I bought it in March and told me it was in great shape and only needed new brakes.
Any ideas/suggestions out there as to what I should do?

[Godiva]

Was there any sort of warranty?

And can you prove that any of this was pre-existing and he lied when he sold it?

[hobbit]

Isn't the Classic battery fix [which is now a replacement, not the
re-sealing work] still covered essentially as a recall, or at the
very least under the 8/100,000 hybrid system warranty? I'm still
not sure what the status on this is..
.
_H*

[mcbrunnhilde]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jon R @ Aug 28 2007, 08:20 PM) [snapback]503587[/snapback]</div>

I just received word that my 01 Prius (160+K miles) requires new main HV battery and an associated computer to the tune of $4800. This is one month after I coughed up $2400 for a new main engine computer and fuel pump/gas tank. The same dealer inspected this car when I bought it in March and told me it was in great shape and only needed new brakes.
Any ideas/suggestions out there as to what I should do?
[/b]

That bites, man. You could try for a salvage battery and save a big chunk of change.....

[jk450]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jon R @ Aug 28 2007, 11:20 PM) [snapback]503587[/snapback]</div>

I just received word that my 01 Prius (160+K miles) requires new main HV battery and an associated computer to the tune of $4800. This is one month after I coughed up $2400 for a new main engine computer and fuel pump/gas tank. The same dealer inspected this car when I bought it in March and told me it was in great shape and only needed new brakes.
Any ideas/suggestions out there as to what I should do?
[/b]

Who diagnosed it? Toyota dealer? What codes were retrieved? They should be on your work order.

The 10 year, 100K warranty on longer applies, as it's 'whichever comes first." However, used battery packs, with ECU and relays, are around 1K.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Aug 29 2007, 01:09 AM) [snapback]503638[/snapback]</div>

Isn't the Classic battery fix [which is now a replacement, not the
re-sealing work] still covered essentially as a recall, or at the
very least under the 8/100,000 hybrid system warranty? I'm still
not sure what the status on this is..
.
_H*
[/b]

It would be a replacement if the old battery was leaking (rather than just tired), and if the vehicle didn't have 160K. The original warranty is time or mileage, whichever comes first.

I'd like to know if a Toyota MDT diagnosed it, what the symptoms were, what codes were recorded, etc...

[Jonathan R]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Aug 28 2007, 09:40 PM) [snapback]503649[/snapback]</div>

Who diagnosed it? Toyota dealer? What codes were retrieved? They should be on your work order.

The 10 year, 100K warranty on longer applies, as it's 'whichever comes first." However, used battery packs, with ECU and relays, are around 1K.
It would be a replacement if the old battery was leaking (rather than just tired), and if the vehicle didn't have 160K. The original warranty is time or mileage, whichever comes first.

I'd like to know if a Toyota MDT diagnosed it, what the symptoms were, what codes were recorded, etc...
[/b]

The car was working fine when I left it in my garage for 3 weeks while I was on vacation. Being new to Prius ownership, I was unaware that the car needs to be run for 30 minutes every week to keep the battery charged. When I returned from vacation, it wouldn't start so I charged the 12 volt battery to no avail. The the dealers service manager said by phone that it was probably OK and just needed revived due to 3 wks inactivity. After having it towed to the dealer, they called and said it needed new HV battery and computer. I have not seen the work order yet so I do not know what codes were recorded. The real upsetting part is that this Toyota dealer inspected the car when I bought it (from another small dealer) and told me all was well.
Is there a test they could have/should have done that would have indicated that the main HV battery was on life support, and about to fail? How about any tests that would have alereted me about the pending comuter failuers (now 2 of them)? It seems to me that the dealers inspection treated this like any other car and they didn't check anything Prius specific. What do you think?

[Jonathan R]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Aug 28 2007, 09:40 PM) [snapback]503649[/snapback]</div>

Who diagnosed it? Toyota dealer? What codes were retrieved? They should be on your work order.

The 10 year, 100K warranty on longer applies, as it's 'whichever comes first." However, used battery packs, with ECU and relays, are around 1K.
It would be a replacement if the old battery was leaking (rather than just tired), and if the vehicle didn't have 160K. The original warranty is time or mileage, whichever comes first.

I'd like to know if a Toyota MDT diagnosed it, what the symptoms were, what codes were recorded, etc...
[/b]

Where is the best place to look for used battery packs, relays etc? This seems like the only sensible way to proceed. Any guidance you can provide would be great.

[john1701a]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jon R @ Aug 29 2007, 01:01 PM) [snapback]503848[/snapback]</div>

Being new to Prius ownership, I was unaware that the car needs to be run for 30 minutes every week to keep the battery charged.[/b]

That's true of any vehicle with an alarm system, not just Prius. The draw on the 12-volt only lasts so long. And if it was the original still, it was due for replacement anyway.

As for buying a used Prius with so many miles on it, all I can do it share stories of how people used to abuse the battery-pack back then. The "running out of gas but kept driving anyway" reports were far more common with that model. People complain about the newer model signaling to refill sooner without realizing what Toyota was attempting to prevent. So it needing replacement now was somewhat predictable (read my blogs from years ago).

I wouldn't trust any dealer to be able to comprehensively verify the battery-pack integrity when you bought it. Procedures & Criteria aren't extensive yet. It's simply too soon to voyage beyond the standard 150,000 mile mark with that degree of certainty.

Sorry, I don't have any worthwhile suggestion. The high-mileage market, for any vehicle, isn't where my experience spans (yet).

[hobbit]

Sorry, I missed the 160K part at first. Understood. But you're out
there in California, where there are several up-and-coming indie
shops that do hybrid stuff. Look up Pat's Garage, Art's Automotive,
or find "lusciousgarage"'s recent post about opening her place, and
see if *they'll* help test and/or rework your battery. I bet they'd
welcome the opportunity, and also have a good line on where to get
replacement units if needed. Toyota isn't going to help anymore
other than being a parts counter for non-salvage stuff.
.
_H*

[tochatihu]

Oouch. Try the Toyota Customer Experience Center 1-800-331-4331. Get a case number, remind them that Toyota KNOWS the Classic HV batteries are susceptible to leakage. Tell them that you post on the world's largest Prius internet site and you very much want the opportunity to report (here) that Toyota supports their excellent product in the long term.

In case none of that works, the salvage vehicle dismantlers (such as LKQ online) are the main source of batteries etc. from totaled vehicles. I would favor a 2003 source vehicle in this case.

Good luck